8 Domains of Well-Being… COVID-19 Style!

Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, University of Guelph has shared well-being strategies during COVID-19. Taking care of your mental health can seem overwhelming at times, but it can help to break it into ‘domains’. Dr. Jones-Bitton and her team will be releasing one well-being domain per week, as an invitation for people to practice one strategy per week. Please note this resource is not intended to be medical advice, and is meant for personal educational purposes only.

Introduction

Unquestionably, these are tough days. The COVID-19 pandemic has required us to make significant changes professionally and personally, in a very short period of time, while also attending to our feelings around the disease. For many of us, we may be having trouble partaking in usual activities that support our well-being. This resource was designed to help stimulate ideas for well-being activities during COVID-19.

The idea came during our well-being discussion during the Ontario Veterinary College’s Resilience Rotation for fourth year DVM students in March. (This is a 1-week elective rotation involving well-being and resilience instruction in an experiential learning format). Instead of brainstorming well-being activities during “normal times”, the students and I decided to create a list of activities that could be done within COVID restrictions. The list took on a life of its own from there, as so many individuals and organizations are sharing great ideas for well-being! I would like to thank the following students for their contributions: Alison Brennan, Jacqueline Brooks, Aime Brown, Werdah Iqbal, Clarissa O’Sullivan, Andrea Patterson, Alyssa Rice, and Salomon Schroeter. I would also like to thank the talented Dr. Alex Sawatzky for her incredible artistic design and drawings.

The resource is based around Peggy Swarbrick’s Model of Wellness (pswarbrick@cspnj.org) – it is a terrific resource for those who may be looking to learn more. I think it is really important (especially right now) to point out that we don’t need to attend to ALL domains at once, or all proposed activities. Instead, we can choose those activities that most appeal to us and make whatever small changes are within our control. And it is essential that we be compassionate with ourselves during the process. Whatever we are able to do is great, regardless of the size of the change. Even small changes can be very powerful! They can induce feelings of positivity, personal control, and a sense of agency – and small changes can add up to something really impactful.

I hope this guide is helpful. I’m rooting for you. Andria Jones-Bitton